Redknapp baffled by quit talk

Harry Redknapp last night dismissed talk that he was about to leave Tottenham as “absolute rubbish”.

The Spurs manager was the subject of frenzied speculation on internet sites which saw bookmakers slash odds on him becoming the first Barclays Premier League manager to lose his job this season.

At one point they tumbled from 50-1 to evens, despite Redknapp having led Tottenham to their best start for 50 years.

A bewildered Redknapp, who heard about the speculation as he was preparing his team to face Bolton at the Reebok stadium today, said: “I’m definitely not leaving. It’s absolute nonsense. Absolute rubbish. I couldn’t be happier than I am here. Not a chance of that happening. I love it here. It’s crazy rumours.

“Who starts these rumours? Who comes out with this sort of rubbish? Some idiots. It happens all the time in our profession. It seems when things are going well someone wants to upset it a bit.”

Part of the speculation suggested Redknapp was contemplating a return to cash-strapped Portsmouth for the third time if new investment was forthcoming, but the Spurs boss was equally dismissive of such talk.

Redknapp said: “Someone said the other day that I’d got a group of investors to buy Portsmouth. That’s the type of rumour that happens. Absolute rubbish.

“I do leave. I just walk off and go. That’s how I am. I walk in one day and I’ll go ’I’ve had enough I’m going home.’

“I am a bit like that if I’m upset about something. But I’ve no intention of doing that here. I couldn’t be happier.

“I get on very well with the chairman. I have created a great atmosphere at this football club. People walk around here with a smile on their face, maybe more than they have ever done.”

William Hill spokesman Graham Sharpe explained the odds tumbling, saying: “It is probably a bandwagon effect as usual, based on unsubstantiated gossip, but in volatile markets of this nature you can’t afford to take a chance and we are being inundated with calls from punters wanting to bet that Harry will be the first to go.”